not my work link
Enjoy your moments while you can
Dear Stepdaughter,
For soon
Your world, all that you love
Will be mine
...
Ichabod fastened the button on the small, white dress, although it was indeed a fiddly job. He held up Harlow in her pretty dress when he was finished.
'My girl.' He said softly, tenderly planting a single soft kiss on the baby's forehead and holding her against his chest.
Walking through the hallway of his home, Ichabod searched for Katrina. Young Masbeth was still abed.
He finally found her in Harlow's bedroom, along with a cradle that had been shifted out of the way and several pieces of chalk. Edging in a bit more, he watched to see what Katrina was doing.
'The Evil Eye.' Ichabod said with a grin, surprising Katrina who was knelt on the floor, drawing the symbol of protection under the baby's cradle as she had done under Ichabod's bed back at The Hollow.
'It is not that.' She said with smile, as she continued drawing. 'I want her to be safe.'
Ichabod watched until Katrina had finished, still holding Harlow. She rose from the floor and gently took Harlow from her father's arms, holding her close and hearing her soft breathing.
'She resembles you, Ichabod.' Katrina smiled, stroking the baby's dark hair.
'But she has her mother's beautiful eyes.' Ichabod said, kissing Katrina's cheek,
...
Afew nights later. Ichabod and Katrina slept in their room, while Young Masbeth offered to share a room with baby Harlow directly next door.
Somebody had entered the Crane household.
Somebody ... most unwelcome.
Wearing a dark, hooded cloak.
They slowly crept up the stairs, following the sound of the houses' occupants breathing softly in their sleep.
'Where are you ... ?' The person whispered ever so softly, easing open a door, seeing a young boy asleep in a bed, and a small baby sleeping in a cradle.
'Ah.' The person said, creeping over to the crib and lifting the baby out gently, wrapping Harlow in their cloak and holding her close.
'Come now. We shall leave.' The person said to the sleeping Harlow, almost a whisper. They crept past Young Masbeth, past Ichabod and Katrina's room, down the stairs and to the front entrance.
Before leaving the Crane household completely, the person pulled down their dark hood with their remaining hand. Revealing themselves as Lady Mary Von Tassel.
...
'SIR! COME QUICKLY!' Young Masbeth shrieked as he discovered the empty cradle the following morning. Moments later, Ichabod burst into the room.
'Young Masbeth?! What on earth is ...' Ichabod started, then saw the empty cradle. 'My daughter! Where is my daughter?!'
'I do not know, Sir! I woke up and she was not in her cradle!' The boy sobbed, bursting into tears.
Katrina stood in the doorway, eyes wide with horror.
'My baby!... ' Katrina shrieked suddenly, collapsing to the floor with hysterical sobs.
'It is my fault! Why was I not watching over her?!' Young Masbeth howled.
Ichabod was frozen on the spot, silently staring at the empty cradle. He started to creep towards it slowly, and flung the small white sheet from it, seeing only emptiness.
'No!' He cried, collapsing to the floor, burying his head in his hands.
..
Enjoy your moments while you can
Dear Stepdaughter,
For soon
Your world, all that you love
Will be mine
...
Ichabod fastened the button on the small, white dress, although it was indeed a fiddly job. He held up Harlow in her pretty dress when he was finished.
'My girl.' He said softly, tenderly planting a single soft kiss on the baby's forehead and holding her against his chest.
Walking through the hallway of his home, Ichabod searched for Katrina. Young Masbeth was still abed.
He finally found her in Harlow's bedroom, along with a cradle that had been shifted out of the way and several pieces of chalk. Edging in a bit more, he watched to see what Katrina was doing.
'The Evil Eye.' Ichabod said with a grin, surprising Katrina who was knelt on the floor, drawing the symbol of protection under the baby's cradle as she had done under Ichabod's bed back at The Hollow.
'It is not that.' She said with smile, as she continued drawing. 'I want her to be safe.'
Ichabod watched until Katrina had finished, still holding Harlow. She rose from the floor and gently took Harlow from her father's arms, holding her close and hearing her soft breathing.
'She resembles you, Ichabod.' Katrina smiled, stroking the baby's dark hair.
'But she has her mother's beautiful eyes.' Ichabod said, kissing Katrina's cheek,
...
Afew nights later. Ichabod and Katrina slept in their room, while Young Masbeth offered to share a room with baby Harlow directly next door.
Somebody had entered the Crane household.
Somebody ... most unwelcome.
Wearing a dark, hooded cloak.
They slowly crept up the stairs, following the sound of the houses' occupants breathing softly in their sleep.
'Where are you ... ?' The person whispered ever so softly, easing open a door, seeing a young boy asleep in a bed, and a small baby sleeping in a cradle.
'Ah.' The person said, creeping over to the crib and lifting the baby out gently, wrapping Harlow in their cloak and holding her close.
'Come now. We shall leave.' The person said to the sleeping Harlow, almost a whisper. They crept past Young Masbeth, past Ichabod and Katrina's room, down the stairs and to the front entrance.
Before leaving the Crane household completely, the person pulled down their dark hood with their remaining hand. Revealing themselves as Lady Mary Von Tassel.
...
'SIR! COME QUICKLY!' Young Masbeth shrieked as he discovered the empty cradle the following morning. Moments later, Ichabod burst into the room.
'Young Masbeth?! What on earth is ...' Ichabod started, then saw the empty cradle. 'My daughter! Where is my daughter?!'
'I do not know, Sir! I woke up and she was not in her cradle!' The boy sobbed, bursting into tears.
Katrina stood in the doorway, eyes wide with horror.
'My baby!... ' Katrina shrieked suddenly, collapsing to the floor with hysterical sobs.
'It is my fault! Why was I not watching over her?!' Young Masbeth howled.
Ichabod was frozen on the spot, silently staring at the empty cradle. He started to creep towards it slowly, and flung the small white sheet from it, seeing only emptiness.
'No!' He cried, collapsing to the floor, burying his head in his hands.
..
